View point detecting device

Abstract

A disclosed device detects an observer's visual axis bi-directionally, comprising a light receiver for receiving light from the observer's eyeball via multiple photoelectric transfer element arrays, a first storage means for storing positions of photoelectric transfer elements outputting signals representing Purkinje images; a second storage for referencing the photoelectric transfer signals originating from multiple photoelectric transfer elements arranged in the horizontal and vertical directions of the light receiver, and storing the positions of photoelectric transfer elements that indicate characteristic points representing the pupil of an eyeball, and a detector for detecting a view point using the positional information stored in the first and second storages.

Claims

1. A view point detecting device, comprising:

light receiving means, having a plurality of photoelectric transfer element arrays, for receiving light from an observer's eyeball;

first storage means for storing positional information of photoelectric transfer elements outputting signals representing Purkinje images;

second storage means for storing positional information of photoelectric transfer elements that indicate characteristic points representing the pupil of the observer's eyeball;

calculating means for performing a least squares calculation using a plurality of values of positional information stored in said second storage means to calculate circular information for a presumed pupillary circle of the eyeball; and

detecting means for detecting a view point using the position information stored in said first storage means and the circular information.

2. A view point detecting device according to claim 1 further comprising a means for disabling said calculation when the number of positional information values stored in said second storage means is smaller than a given value.

3. A view point detecting device according to claim 1 further comprising control means for identifying a detection failure when a total error of squares said calculating means calculates exceeds a given value.

4. A view point detecting device according to claim 1 wherein said second storage means stores luminance values, said device further comprising a holding means for holding the smallest luminance value among the luminance values most recently read from photoelectric transfer elements of said light receiving means that are included in said plurality of values of positional information stored in said second storage means, and said calculating means comprising means for comparing a given luminance value based on the smallest luminance value held in said holding means and a plurality of luminance values stored in said second storage means, then calculating pupil-related information using a plurality of values of positional information of photoelectric transfer elements having smaller luminance values.

5. A view point detecting device, comprising:

light receiving means, having a plurality of photoelectric transfer element arrays disposed in a plurality of lines, for receiving light from an observer's eyeball;

first storage means for storing photoelectric transfer signals originating from a portion of the plurality of lines of said photoelectric transfer element arrays in said light receiving means, a capacity for lines of said photoelectric transfer element arrays of said first storage means being less than a capacity for the lines of said photoelectric transfer element arrays of said light receiving means;

second storage means for storing positional information of photoelectric transfer elements that provide photoelectric transfer signals representing characteristic points of an eyeball;

signal processing means for repeatedly effecting signal processing such that after a line of signals from said photoelectric transfer element arrays is stored in said first storage means, said signal processing means executes processing to extract a signal position representing characteristic points of an eyeball using the lines stored in said first storing means and stores the signal position in said second storage means, and then, after a next line of signals from said photoelectric transfer element arrays is stored in said first storage means, said signal processing means executes processing using the lines stored in said first storing means to extract a signal position representing characteristic points of the eyeball and stores the signal position in said second storage means; and

detecting means for detecting a visual axis direction using said positional information stored in said second storage means.

6. A view point detecting device according to claim 5, wherein said first storage means comprises a RAM.

7. An apparatus according to claim 5, wherein said second storage means stores a signal for indicating a Purkinje image.

8. An apparatus according to claim 5, wherein said second storage means store a signal for indicating an edge portion of a pupil.

9. An apparatus according to claim 5, wherein said detection means starts an operation of detection of the visual axis when processing by said processing means is completed.

10. A signal processing apparatus comprising:

a plurality of arrays of photoelectric converting elements disposed in a plurality of lines;

memory means for storing signals from a portion of the plurality of lines of said photoelectric converting elements, a capacity for lines of said photoelectric converting elements of said memory means being less than a capacity for lines of said plurality of arrays of photoelectric converting elements;

signal processing means for executing signal processing to extract a characteristic signal from the signals of the lines stored in said memory means; and

control means for causing said signal processing means to perform signal processing for extracting characteristic points after causing said memory means to store signals from a line of said photoelectric converting elements, and then causing said signal processing means to perform signal processing for extracting characteristic points after causing said memory means to store a next line of signals from said photoelectric converting elements.

11. A signal processing apparatus according to claim 10, wherein said control means comprises means for controlling said signal processing means and said memory means to alternately repeat a signal processing operation and a storing operation.

12. A signal processing apparatus according to claim 10, wherein said control means comprises a microcomputer.

13. A signal processing apparatus according to claim 10, wherein said signal processing means comprises means for extracting a characteristic signal relating to a Purkinje image.

14. A signal processing apparatus according to claim 13, wherein said signal processing means further comprises means for extracting a characteristic signal indicating a border between a pupil and an iris of an eyeball.

15. A signal processing apparatus according to claim 14, further comprising detection means for detecting a visual axis using the signal indicating the border and the signal relating to the Purkinje image.

16. A signal processing apparatus according to claim 10, wherein said memory means comprises a RAM.

17. An apparatus according to claim 10, further comprising visual axis detection means for detecting a visual axis based on the characteristic signal of said signal processing means.

18. An apparatus according to claim 17, wherein said visual axis detection means performs an operation of detection of the visual axis when the operation of said control means is completed.